Hair transplants have become the go-to choice for receding hairlines all over the world. For people who experience hair loss, hair transplants offer a new world of hair recovery. By directly transplanting hair follicles from a viable to the problematic area, hair transplants are a bulletproof and easy choice for people who want to regain hair health.
Over the decades hair transplants methods have come a long way, new and improved techniques are being used by hair clinics around the world. Not only have the operation time has decreased but the recovery time and success rate has also been positively affected by recent developments.
But the question remains, which hair transplants methods are currently being used?
In order to ascertain the best we must first familiarize ourselves with the way a hair transplant works. In theory, hair transplants follow a simple logic: harvest hair follicles from a designated area where the hair is a viable donor and transplant these as grafts to the area where the hairline is receding.
The methods come into the picture as approaches to this basic structure: what kind of a tool is used to harvest these hair follicles, in what condition are the hair follicles reserved and ultimately how are they transplanted. In this article we will compare the most popular and preferred hair transplant methods.
Continue reading to find out the hair transplant method that suits you!
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What are the best hair transplant methods?
More and more patients opt to get hair transplants in order to guarantee a healthy hair recovery every year. As the interest increases so do options and fields of operation.
There are 3 major hair transplant methods that patients all over the world opt for and these are the FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant), FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and the DHI (Direct Hair Implantation). All three are quite popular with diverse needs of application.
It should be noted that the condition of the patient’s hair is the most important determining factor in choosing the best hair transplant method closely followed by the hair recovery they are aiming for and their budget. The strength, the coarseness and the condition of the donor area are determining factors in the type of hair transplant that is beneficial for the patient.
The receding hairline is also a determining factor in the type of hair transplant and the number of grafts needed for the hair transplant. If the hairline has receded far back the patient will need a higher number of hair grafts in order to make a complete recovery.
This customizable and adaptable nature of hair transplants make them the best preferred method of hair recovery amongst patients.
FUE Hair Transplant Method
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is a hair transplant technique that relies on miniscule incisions made to the hair follicle in order to both extract and transplant the hair graft. The FUE technique is popular amongst patients because of its minimally invasive nature and less visible scarring than the FUT method.
The hair follicles are individually extracted from the donor area, grafted into units of 3-4 and transplanted to the designated area in one single operation. Unlike the scarring left in the FUT method this hair transplant technique has much less visible scarring and more control on the hair follicles as they are both harvested and transplanted.
The operation is longer than a classic FUT operation as hair follicles are individually harvested but the recovery time is shorter as the incisions are smaller than the strip removal from the FUT.
For more information you can visit our article where we go deeper into FUE hair transplants.
FUE Hair Transplant in Stages
- Anesthesia is applied to the donor area
- Extraction of hair follicles by making small individual incisions
- Hair follicles are grafted in pairs of 3-4
- Hair grafts are transplanted to the recipient area individually.
- Period of recovery
How does the FUE method work?
The FUE method is based on the extraction of individual hair grafts which are follicular units that contain 1 to 6 hair follicles. In contrast to other hair transplant methods that involve removing a chunk of hair, the FUE method is much more discrete.
Individual hair grafts are extracted from a donor area with healthy hair follicles and collected in a suitable environment before they can be transplanted into the target area. The manual punch technique or a punch tool is used to extract the hair follicles.
They should be collected in an environment that protects the viability of the hair follicles.
Then, the hair grafts are transplanted into the microchannels created at the target area. These microchannels are non-invasive and leave little to no scarring.
DHI Hair Transplant Method
DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) is a model created based on the FUE hair transplant method but with a twist. Just like in the FUE method hair follicles are harvested individually, however with the DHI a tool that looks like a pen called the Choi-pen is used to both harvest and transplant the hair follicles.
This instrument allows the incisions made to be uniform and thus safer. With the DHI method each hair follicle is individually harvested and immediately transplanted to the target area.
This makes the procedure even more customizable and allows the surgeon to have more control over the whole operation. The scarring is almost non-existent and the healing period is shorter than any other hair transplant method as it is uniform.
This method can not handle as many hair grafts as the other two methods however due to its easy and fast nature it is very patient-friendly.
For more information do not hesitate to read our article where we delve deeper into the DHI hair transplant method.
DHI Hair Transplant in Stages
- Anesthesia is applied to operation area
- Harvesting hair follicles from the donor area via the Choi-pen
- Transplanting of the harvested hair follicles to the recipient area using the Choi-pen
- Period of recovery
Difference between DHI and FUE techniques
Are there other techniques?
Yes, besides FUE and DHI methods, you can find your hair restoration solution for a youthful look with NeoGraft method or FIT Technique. There is also Scalp Micropigmentation & Hair Tattoo for people who are in search for a less invasive approach.
We know that with all of the options on the table, Hair Restoration keeps getting confusing. If you are confused with the location of your transplant, the answers lay below.
If you decided on Istanbul as your location and you are confused with the technique you will choose, feel free to reach us and our team of experts on WhatsApp and get your consultation for free!
Most preferred Hair Transplant Methods in Turkey
Did you know that every year tens of thousands of patients come to Turkey seeking hair transplants? Turkey has become the hub of all things hair transplants and clinics in Turkey have become famous for being the most patient-friendly and having the best hair clinics.
Turkey is home to clinics that not only use the most up-to-date medical operations and tools but the best service without breaking the bank.
The most preferred hair transplant methods in Turkey are without a doubt the FUE and the DHI. The FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method is popular for its versatility and diverse application.
There are various types of FUE methods like Sapphire FUE or Ice FUE methods where slight differences to the tools can benefit the patient’s unique and individual cases. DHI is popular because of the ease of application and shorter recovery period.
FAQs about Hair Transplant Methods
What is the pen hair transplant method?
The pen hair transplant method refers to the DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) method where the operation uses a pen-like instrument called the Choi-pen to both harvest and transplant the hair follicles.
What is the safest hair transplant method?
Hair transplants are generally safe operations with a success rate of 98%. They are easy, comfortable and with a fast turnover for recovery. In order to determine the safest hair transplant you should choose a doctor you trust and a hair clinic that is experienced.
Which hair transplant is no shave?
Almost all hair transplants can be conducted without drastically shaving your hair. A shorter hair style or sometimes a hairstyle that covers the operation area can easily solve the shaving problem.
Since both DHI and FUE hair transplant methods harvest hair follicles individually they do not require the donor or the recipient to be clean-shaven.
Which is the most cost-efficient hair transplant?
The cost of a hair transplant depends on the method, the hair clinic and the number of hair grafts the patient needs. However, where you get your hair transplant can also significantly alter the cost of your hair transplant.
Make sure to research various hair clinics before making your decision.
